Northwestern Medicine scientists have discovered how a gene linked to leukemia functions, a finding that may have important implications for children with Down syndrome who have a higher risk of developing the blood cancer.

Kathleen Green, PhD, Joseph L. Mayberry, Sr., Professor of Pathology and Toxicology, has received a Humboldt Research Award, which recognizes her achievements in epithelial cell biology and provides her the opportunity to visit Germany for research collaborations.

A new technology called “Sticky-flares” developed by nanomedicine scientists offers the first real-time method to track and observe the dynamics of RNA distribution as it is transported inside living cells.

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The Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved a first-of-a-kind drug that lowers artery-clogging cholesterol more than older drugs that have been prescribed for decades.An estimated 6.3 million U.S. patients cannot control their LDL levels with statins alone, according to medical surveys. And another 3.3 million are thought to be unable to tolerate statins due to side effects, but there are no formal criteria to identify these patients. As such, experts say more research is needed to define the group. “I think we need to be clear what qualifies for statin intolerance,” Dr. Neil Stone, a cardiologist at Northwestern University, said. “What moves you from an inexpensive, generic statin to a very expensive new drug that doesn’t have near the track record of the statin?”